The present invention relates generally to heat transfer devices and particularly to heat sinks for electronic modules. The invention herein is most specifically oriented towards electronics packaged cylindrically, such as is used in sonobuoys, torpedoes, mines and missiles, although the concept works equally well in boxed electronics.
Increasingly, electronics are packaged in cylindrical containers, particularly in the maritime and aerospace arts. The prior art is replete with devices and methods to shunt heat away from electronics components. These devices are oriented towards conventionally cased electronics and are generally not adaptable to cylindrically encased electronics.
Applicant has invented one heat sink for cylindrically encased electronics involving a circular wedge for circular electronic modules, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,115 issued Oct. 22, 1991 in the name of Mark W. Sewell. This prior art device is limited to circular modules and lacks the ability to sink standard rectangular modules to an electronics case. This heat sink also lacks the ability of maintaining thermal conducting contact over a significant longitudinal area of a circular electronics case. In addition, this prior art device is restricted to cylindrically encased electronics while the instant invention is adaptable to cases of varied geometry.
Other related prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,570 to Tolle et al. issued Nov. 20, 1990 which teaches a wedge clamp thermal connector for clamping either end of an electronic module having a heat conducting substrate. This device is designed to dissipate heat to the ambient air or to a cold plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,713 to Weisman issued Apr. 11, 1989 discloses a retainer for electronics modules wherein the retainer is a cold plate heat sink with the modules clamped in conducting engagement.
Many other prior art heat dissipating structures have been devised that dissipate heat from components to the environment such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,924 to Wozniezka, issued Sep. 22, 1987. Therein a finned sleeve surrounds a heat generating component and transfers heat which is radiantly dissipated in the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,514 to Kaufman issued Feb. 21, 1989 teaches a device to transfer heat from the heat generating side of an electronics module to the opposing side which operates as sink to radiantly dissipate heat to the ambient air. Other prior art teachings reveal heat transfer schemes that transfer heat to the electronic housings or have heat dissipation tubes that function as a mounting rack for electronics or electronic modules. An example of this latter configuration is U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,559 issued Apr. 7, 1987 to Fathi.
These prior art devices are designed for conventionally packaged electronics and are not adaptable to high density cylindrically packaged electronic units that lack the internal air quantity and flow for internal cooling. Examples of cylindrical electronics are ubiquitous and include missiles, mines, torpedoes and sonobuoys. Cooling these devices has increasingly become more challenging as power requirements and miniaturization have increased. An effective heat transfer device is particularly needed in buoy and sonobuoy construction, as recent power requirements have escalated. There is a particular need for a heat transfer device that is efficate in sinking a standard rectangular electronics module in an efficient manner to cylindrical electronic cases.